Debra Ortmann

Debra “Debbie” Ortmann fought to the bitter end, and finally free from the machines and devices that tethered her for the last 15 years, passed on October 4, 2021. While agonizing, frustrating and tedious, she faced mitral valve heart surgery and two months in the ICU with the same positive attitude and fierce determination that she approached everything in life. She never forgot to thank the nurses and hospital staff at Barnes Jewish (even for the small stuff) and every now and then would show her snarky side, asking for steak flavored ice chips and a boob job. Her iPhone playlist became infamous, played all hours of the day, and appealed to EVERYONE within earshot.  

Born to the late Catherine (Hubenka) and Lawrance Nelson on July 26, 1957, under the astrological sign of Leo, Debbie perfectly embodied the zodiac lion: brave, compassionate, creative, and assertive. She fiercely loved her younger siblings, saying that her brother, David, was “witty” and “hilarious”, and that her sister, Pam, was “a total bad*ss.” Even as the kind-hearted and protective first born, she still couldn’t resist tormenting her younger brother, sweetly calling up the stairs, “David…come here, David” and vowing not to scare him, even though she was waiting at the bottom wearing a creepy clown mask.

Debbie was extremely proud of her Czech roots, insisting the best kolaches had cherry and poppy seed filling, and ensured all her kids had an authentic recipe from babička. She would frequently use a Czech phrase that could roughly be translated to “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” that she learned from the Hubenkas. She loved her red hair, and accentuated it with henna, making it even more bold and vibrant. Debbie embraced the bohemian lifestyle; she was free-spirited and unconventional. Confidently marching to the beat of her own drum, she had a proclivity for embroidery and beading, always made sure to have on a pair of earrings and at least 4 rings, and was eclectically fashionable (we still don’t understand the fanny pack phase, considering she stuffed them so full she could barely zip them up). 

She grew up Lutheran, but was open to all kinds of metaphysical ideas, believing that positive energy sent out into the universe would ultimately come back to you, and that hugs could be sent over text messages (I think we can all agree she gave the BEST hugs). Debbie put her heart into all her relationships and she would determinedly uphold fairness and respect. She was always kind, understanding, and diplomatic, until such times that she had to, in her words, “rip them a new a**hole.” She had a way with words and people, and once her sense of injustice was piqued, she would make her way up to the manager’s manager’s manager until the situation was fixed to her satisfaction. 

Debbie survived both Hodgkin's lymphoma and thyroid cancer, and lived with the physical scars and trauma they caused. But she never complained or wanted to be treated differently, even if it took her a little extra time to climb the stairs. Instead, she lived life to the fullest and made sure to enjoy her favorite activities. She loved attending aqua aerobics, not solely for the exercise, but as an occasion to hang out with some of her most treasured friends. They provided her with good conversation, lots of laughs, amazing recipes, and one heck of a book club.

Music was a necessary part of Debbie’s life. She started playing the violin in middle school and even though she never claimed to be very good, she played all through her adult life (still using that same childhood violin). She joined the South Suburban Community Orchestra, which later became the Parker Symphony Orchestra, to both play and be around a community of people passionate about music. When her kids were growing up, she would introduce them to all kinds of music, from 80s dance parties on the turntable and inappropriate rock music on the drive to middle school to serene classical concerts and Decembers filled with non-stop holiday tunes. 

As an advocate of quality over quantity, she loved the simple things: eating a good piece of dark chocolate, balancing her checkbook, listening to wind chimes and telling corny jokes. She used to say that the corniest jokes came from Nebraska (hardy-har-har). But what she enjoyed the most was having her three kids, Nicole, Andrea, and Jason, all together so she could listen to them banter and tease each other. She was very proud of her children and made sure to emphasize that no matter what they chose in life, it was most important to do what made them happy (regardless of what anyone else thought). Debbie was clever, valued education and kept her mind sharp with puzzles of all kinds. A real stickler for grammar, she would never let the wrong use of verb tense slide, and no doubt she would have found much here to correct, or would have suggested an alternate, better suited adjective.

Debbie graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1975 and attended the University of Denver, earning a BS in Business Administration and Marketing in 1981 but she found her true calling as a childcare provider. Debbie loved kids and treated every child as if they were her own, often embarrassing her family by joking in public she was going to take the cute babies home. Being a babysitter suited her own children just fine, as there was always someone around with which to play. The downside being they had to share everything and only got one popsicle at snack time; which was a subtle reminder that everyone was equal in her household. In fact, Debbie kept baby pictures, drawings, and senior portraits of the kids she watched alongside her own children's.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Ken Ortmann of Denver, her “favorite son,” Jason Ortmann (wife Sarah Ortmann) of St. Louis, MO, her “brown-eyed girl,” Andrea Ortmann (husband Jeff Wyss) of Boulder, CO, and her “favorite redheaded daughter,” Nicole Ortmann of Corning, NY.  Being Grand-Mommo to Ryan and Tyler Ortmann, and Violet Wyss, gave her great joy and pride, and she left a house full of toys, pack-and-plays and baby spoons gathered over decades for her grandchildren, existing or future.  Left with decades of fond memories are her siblings Pam Orsi and David Nelson, both of Omaha, NE., brother-in-law Mark Orsi and sister-in-law Suzanne Nelson, and 6 nieces and nephews. 

The family encourages everyone to contribute pictures, memories and funny stories on Debbie’s memorial website here at https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/DebraOrtmann

It was very important to Debbie to have her body donated to science, so that others could learn and benefit, therefore there will be no service or burial. A reception-style celebration of life will be held Saturday, June 4th, 2022 at the Denver Botanic Gardens from 9am-noon. Please dress comfortably for an outdoor event. Light refreshments will be served. Come with any and all stories of this remarkable and one-of-a-kind woman. For more information and to RSVP, please see the event page, which can be found on the "Events" link above or at: https://www.mykeeper.com/event/debbie-ortmanns-celebration-of-life/